This invention relates to a safety hose apparatus for delivering water from a standard hose bib to an appliance or plumbing fixture that utilizes water. More particularly, this invention relates to a safety hose apparatus featuring inner and outer hoses, the outer hose including push-on end portion that releasably grips the threaded connector attached at the corresponding end of the inner hose to seal the interior space between the inner and outer hoses.
Various types of appliances, including washing machines and dishwashers as well as assorted plumbing fixtures, such as toilets and sinks, must be interconnected through a hose to a source of water. Conventional water hoses, which are normally composed of rubber or plastic, tend to wear and break down over time. Deterioration is caused, for example, by bending of the hose and the repeated passage of water through the hose. Hot water hoses are particularly susceptible to wear because of the stresses caused by repeated changes in temperature. Hose life is also affected by the water quality, water pressure, geographic locale and frequency of use. As the hose deteriorates, ruptures are likely to occur. Eventually, the hose may rupture or burst, which can result in flooding and serious water damage to the room or building in which the appliance is located, as well as items located therein. Aggravating and extremely expensive repairs may be necessitated.
Various techniques and procedures have been employed to combat leaks and ruptures in water hoses. Certain of these devices employ sophisticated electronic sensors that detect leakage in the hose and shut off the supply of water to the hose by closing a valve proximate the hose bib. These products are invariably expensive and virtually impossible for most homeowners to install. They have not significantly reduced the problem of ruptured appliance hoses.
Renner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,549 discloses a technique for installing a pair of protective sleeves respectively on the hot and cold water hoses of a washing machine. A drainage hose is interconnected between the sleeves for conducting water that leaks from either of the hoses to a standard drain line. This procedure is complicated, time consuming, labor intensive and wholly impractical. The protective sleeve must be cut in various locations and installed in several segments. Up to twenty fittings and clamps must be used and these components cannot be tested until the protective sleeve is fully installed on the hose. Accordingly, the system operates unreliably. If the hose segments or fittings are not properly and precisely fitted, potentially damaging leaks are still very likely to occur. Moreover, the protective sleeves must be wrapped completely about and secured to both the hose bib spout and the inlet of the washing machine. And the outer sleeve can be installed only after the inner hose is already interconnected between the hose bib and the appliance inlet. As a result, the Renner technique is a time consuming and tedious procedure that usually requires the expertise of an expensive professional plumber.
To overcome the foregoing problems, we have developed a number of safety hoses employing inner and outer hose sections for trapping water that leaks from the inner hose section within the outer hose section. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,184. Heretofore, these products have featured fittings including various types of closures that seal the ends of the apparatus to retain leaking water between the inner and outer hoses. Although these products are quite effective, it tends to be fairly complicated and expensive, at least initially, to manufacture the particular type of closure required for the apparatus.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simplified safety hose apparatus that eliminates the time, effort, expense and intricacy of manufacturing and installing a separate and distinct seal or closure at each end of the apparatus.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus employing inner and outer hoses that can be quickly, easily and selectively interengaged to form a sealed space between the hoses and disengaged to attach the apparatus to or remove the apparatus from a threaded spout or inlet, as required.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a universal safety hose apparatus that comprises a fully factory assembled product, which may be installed quickly and conveniently on a wide variety of appliances and plumbing fixtures, including but not limited to washing machines and dishwashers.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that employs a relatively simple, uncomplicated and inexpensive construction including no clamps, only a single continuous length of outer hose and only two universal fittings.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that operates effectively and reliably to prevent water leaks and the potentially catastrophic and expensive damage caused thereby.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that is conveniently assembled and pressure tested at the factory so that installation is facilitated and consistently reliable and relatively fail-safe operation is achieved.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus employing a protective outer hose or sleeve that is never under significant water pressure and which thereby resists rupturing.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that employs an outer sleeve or hose which is not attached directly to either the hose bib or the appliance inlet so that installation of the apparatus is facilitated considerably.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that is easily and inexpensively installed, even by homeowners and lay persons having no plumbing expertise.
This invention results from a realization that a pre-assembled, double walled safety hose may be constructed simply and inexpensively by employing an inner hose which comprises a standard appliance hose having rotatable threaded connectors attached at each end, as well as a longitudinally expandable outer hose or sleeve having resiliently expandable end coupling portions. Initially, the apparatus may be simply and quickly interconnected between a hose bib and an appliance by interengaging the threaded connectors with a threaded spout and a threaded appliance inlet, respectively. After this step is complete, the outer hose may be longitudinally expanded and the end portions diametrically expanded to fit over and peripherally grip respective threaded connectors. As a result, the ends of the apparatus are sealed such that water leaking from the inner hose is retained within the outer hose.
This invention features a safety hose apparatus for delivering water from a threaded spout of a hose bib to a threaded appliance inlet. The apparatus includes an inner hose having threaded connectors attached rotatably at each end thereof for securing the inner hose to a threaded water spout and a threaded appliance inlet respectively. The inner hose extends through an outer hose or sleeve that is selectively alternatable between longitudinally expanded and contracted conditions. The outer hose includes a pair of end portions. Each end coupling portion is resiliently expandable such that the end portion may be selectively and grippably interengaged with a respective one of the threaded connectors. When the end portions are so engaged with the connectors, the space between the inner and outer hoses is sealed to retain water leaking from the inner hose within the outer hose. Alternatively, the outer hose may be disengaged from and peripherally expose the threaded connectors to permit unhindered rotation of the threaded connectors relative to the outer hose so that the connectors may be threadably engaged with and disengaged from the spout and appliance inlet as needed.
In a preferred embodiment, the first and second threaded connectors may comprise generally annular components. The outer hose may include a drain section and a drain conduit may be communicably attached to the drain section. Water leaking from the inner hose into the space between the inner and outer hoses is directed by the drain conduit to a standard appliance drain pipe.